Human Experiences, Proximity, Augmented Reality and the Internet of Things

Apple iBeacon Trademark Shows Future of Mobile Payments

The trademark application for iBeacon by Apple won’t help clarify what we’re supposed to call, well, ‘beacons’, but it does hint at how their deployment of Bluetooth LE technology could underpin mobile payments, e-wallets, loyalty programs and (yes) trade shows.

None of this implies that Apple will actually enter any of these markets. In the narrowest sense, the list of ‘stuff’ simply covers all of the possibilities that can be built on top of the current iBeacon API and Bluetooth LE capabilities of Apple’s devices and operating system. Trademark filings are usually much broader than intent.

Right now, the iBeacon name specifically represents the capacity of Apple devices to connect to Bluetooth LE devices, to act as Bluetooth LE beacons/devices themselves, and the code that makes it all happen. It’s the development community that can use this seemingly simple set of technologies to make the long list of consumer products and services noted above.

But there’s a longer game for Apple. With its Passbook (a bit of a dud in its current incarnation) and the fact that it already has its users credit card numbers and ability to easily collect payments, it has set the stage for a larger possibility: that Apple has the deep capacity to turn your phone into a mobile wallet and to become a payment and transaction system for the physical as well as online world.

This Is Getting Confusing
The trademark application won’t make our current use of words and language any easier.

It’s already confusing enough: a beacon is a transmitter that uses Bluetooth LE, but not all beacons will always be ONLY Bluetooth LE devices. PayPal has Beacon. And Apple has iBeacon, which isn’t JUST the transmitter, it’s also the code and API that makes the use of Bluetooth LE protocols possible.

To top it off, Bluetooth would prefer we called it Bluetooth Smart instead of Low Energy (LE)….which is a ridiculous notion, because the only thing that’s truly smart about LE is that it’s smart on energy. The whole point of Bluetooth LE is that it’s a relatively ‘dumb’ technology.

Regardless, the trademark filing is a reminder that while it might be seemingly simple tech that’s powering a world of beacons, it’s capacity to transform entire industries goes well beyond a simple word.

[…] The platform won’t look dissimilar to the dozens of beacon campaign systems on the market today, from Lighthouse to LocalSocial. But Samsung is taking things a step further by building its own proximity layer and user experience – potentially in conflict with patents held by Apple. […]